NEWS'Seinfeld' Actor Michael Richards Spotted on First Public Outing in 2 Years in California
'Seinfeld' star Michael Richards makes a rare public appearance in California after two years.
May 12 2026, Published 8:15 a.m. ET
Michael Richards is stepping back into the public eye after a long, quiet stretch.
On Sunday, May 10, the Seinfeld star was spotted in West Hollywood, Calif., in rare photos obtained by an outlet — marking his first public outing in roughly two years. Richards kept things low-key for the moment, wearing a black jacket, dark jeans and boots while walking under the bright California sun.
Michael Richards was seen in West Hollywood during his first public outing in about two years.
He completed the look with a pair of eyeglasses, staying mostly reserved during the brief appearance.
Richards was last spotted at the Unfrosted premiere in May 2024, where he supported his Seinfeld costar Jerry Seinfeld.
The recent sighting comes after Richards has largely stayed out of the spotlight following years of reflection on his 2006 onstage controversy, when he unleashed a viral racist tirade at a comedy club.
“Anger had a hold of me,” he told Today in a June 2024 interview with Hoda Kotb. “I canceled myself out. Take an exodus, get away from show business and see what the heck is going on inside me to have been so despicable that night, losing my cool and hurting people.”
The 'Seinfeld' actor has largely stayed out of the spotlight since his 2006 comedy club incident.
Looking back, Richards said he has spent years working on emotional control.
“Oh, the difference... [I'm] probably more aware of myself. Anger, looking at it very closely, it's something that's always with us, certainly with me,” he continued.
When asked if he had made peace with what happened, Richards answered, “I think so.”
“Certainly getting to a place where I could forgive myself because I have to move on and be true blue about that,” he added.
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Beyond his career reflection, Richards has also spoken openly about a serious health scare. In 2018, he was diagnosed with Stage I prostate cancer.
“I thought I was going to go, really, I had given into that,” he shared. “Then I found out that if we move fast enough, we could get at the cancer, and I had a great surgeon at Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles.”
Michael Richards said he has worked on self-awareness and forgiveness over the years.
He claimed early treatment and surgery helped him survive.
“Oh my, I made it, you know, I beat it. And that certainly motivated me to get at the book because I went through a big review of my life,” he said, adding that he hopes people see him as simply “human.”
“There is a good, bad and an ugly coursing through all these things,” Richards added. “The entrances and the exits, what I come into, what I come out of, always so ongoing, a coming and a going. And just discovering myself along the way, it's really a pleasure, it is hard work though.”
The star previously battled Stage I prostate cancer and underwent surgery in 2018.
In another interview, Richards revealed his motivation to keep fighting.
“I thought, well, this is my time. I’m ready to go,” he told People. “But then my son came to mind just a few seconds later, and I heard myself saying, ‘I’ve got a 9-year-old, and I’d like to be around for him. Is there any way I can get a little more life going?'”
“It had to be contained quickly,” he added. “I had to go for the full surgery. If I hadn't, I probably would have been dead in about eight months.”
